Time trickled by, drop by drop.
The entire Heavenly Fleet had gathered together; every Skyward Legionnaire and Heavenly General waited in tense silence, paying no mind even to King Bullhorn’s occasional movements.
Everyone knew clearly: victory was close at hand. Yet this victory would not be won by conventional means—in fact, in a certain sense, they were playing right on the edge of Heaven’s rules.
Inside his cabin, Marshal Silver sat at his desk as usual, calmly reviewing the military reports sent from other detachments.
A faint, icy light fell across his face, his gaze unwavering as ever.
“Marshal, all Plaguewater has been dispersed,” reported General Nate, bowing respectfully.
“Understood. You may withdraw,” Marshal Silver replied, rolling up the bamboo scroll he had just finished reading and unfurling another. His voice was calm: “Maintain vigilance. Let the others rest well. At dawn tomorrow, we launch the attack.”
General Nate parted his lips as if to say more, but in the end remained silent, only bowing again as he answered, “Yes, sir.”
Under the moonlight, the last droplet of clear water sprayed onto the stone vanished swiftly—whether by evaporation or seepage, no one could say.
......
Heaven, High Sky Throne Hall.
The assembled immortals erupted into uproar.
That Marshal Silver grows ever more reckless!
Plaguewater is not something to be used lightly! If it could be deployed at will, why would Heaven keep a million troops?
Marshal Silver has truly gone too far this time. With Plaguewater unleashed, countless lives will suffer. Even if Frost‑Rain Mountain is purged, the cost may outweigh the gain.
Marshal Silver must be mad for glory! Though heavenly law does not explicitly forbid Plaguewater, its power is immense... Let’s see how he ends this!
Marshal Silver must have turned against Heaven after the Fairy Nisha affair, seeking revenge! Your Majesty, please inform Lord Lao at once!
The Milky Way Fleet flouts all law and order, now a scourge upon Heaven and earth! Your Majesty, please order their suppression at once!
In the center of the hall, Grandmaster White lifted his head, watching coldly as the complaints swelled around him.
Does Plaguewater count as a calamity?
You could say it counts, or you could say it doesn’t. But the devastation it brings is undeniable.
After last time, when an immortal defied emotion, Marshal Silver has once again crossed Heaven’s red line.
One by one, the anti-Silver immortals began to attack, while those who supported the Jade Emperor remained silent.
The Jade Emperor, his face dark, listened to Curtain’s whisper, then coughed twice to silence the uproar. Gravely, he declared: “My lords, according to the Heavenly Fleet’s reports, Frost-Rain Mountain is nearly overrun by demons, with few other beings remaining. Moreover, the Fleet has greatly diluted the Plaguewater. Until final results are known, we must not rush to judgment…”
His words were slow, tinged with uncertainty.
Perhaps even the Jade Emperor, who had always firmly supported Marshal Silver’s campaign, was now wavering.
“Oh, Silver… you truly do not understand the ways of court,” thought the Jade Emperor.
Stillwater Valley, within the courtyard.
“Elder Brother, what exactly is this?” Monkey asked, leaning over the stone table.
Elder Stillwater sat upright, his hands weaving a series of mudras before his chest. Soon, the droplet of clear water Monkey had brought was divided in the air into countless mist-like fragments.
At that moment, Elder Stillwater pressed his palms together; the mist ignited and vanished.
“This is clear water,” he said softly.
“Just clear water?”
“Inside, there is plague, and also Spirit-Trace Solution.”
“What is that?” Monkey narrowed his eyes, asking.
Elder Stillwater took a deep breath and said, “Do you remember the curse you encountered at Bluewave Lake?”
“Huh?”
Elder Stillwater smiled faintly. “That black wyrm infused the curse into Bluewave Lake’s waters, letting it seep into every plant and blade of grass in the territory. Every demon was infected, so that the moment any left the region, the Celestial Army would discover them.”
“You mean that one?” Monkey sat up straight at once.
Elder Stillwater nodded and continued, “That is Spirit‑Trace Solution. Once tainted by it, whether human or demon, your spiritual power—or demon‑qi—can be easily sensed by certain means. It’s a method the Celestial Army uses to hunt fugitive demons. The black wyrm back then must have obtained it from South Heaven Gate.”
Monkey’s eyelid twitched.
That’s outrageous.
If every demon on Frost‑Rain Mountain was infected by this stuff, wouldn’t that mean the Celestial Army could stand outside the cave and instantly know how many demons were inside—and their strength?
Worst of all, erasing it takes many days…
“And the plague?” Monkey asked softly.
“This plague is far more dangerous.” Elder Stillwater sighed deeply, stroking his beard. “Though every branch of Heaven’s armies is equipped with it, Plaguewater is seldom used. Like Spirit‑Trace Solution, it must be mixed in water to spread. The difference is, whether human, demon, beast, or plant, once exposed, weakness sets in within a day, and without treatment, death follows in ten days.”
Monkey’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
What kind of monster is this stuff? Biological weapon? The Celestial Army has something like this? Why did Anna Yang never mention it?
If the Heavenly Fleet ever used this against Blossom Mountain, it would be a disaster.
After a brief pause, Elder Stillwater continued, “Of course, this only applies to ordinary beings. Cultivators at Spirit‑Refinement Stage or above will merely be weakened, not killed. Those at Spirit‑Transformation Stage have transcended the physical, and the plague cannot infect them. Typically, Plaguewater is only used to wipe out all life in a region, and requires an imperial decree from the Jade Emperor.”
“I’ve heard Heaven’s news too! Clearly, the Jade Emperor didn’t issue a decree this time. Does that mean the Heavenly Fleet broke the rules and Heaven will soon hold them accountable?” Monkey pressed urgently.
Elder Stillwater lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then said softly, “Not necessarily.”
“Not necessarily?”
Heaven’s laws do not explicitly forbid the use of Plaguewater, and the concentration in that clear water was very low. If the spread is limited and few beings are harmed, Heaven likely won’t pursue it. Even if they do, it will be little more than a formal reprimand.
Monkey understood—completely understood.
Marshal Silver is playing right on the edge of the rules.
There’s no outright ban on this weapon; as long as most of the victims are demons and few others are harmed, they’ll get at most a slap on the wrist.
After a moment’s thought, Monkey asked, “Elder Brother, how do you cure this plague?”
“The cure is simple: wash your whole body with sea water.”
Wash with sea water? That’s easy enough… Blossom Mountain is by the sea, so even if the Heavenly Fleet used Plaguewater there, it wouldn’t be a problem. But Frost‑Rain Mountain is surrounded by peaks—where would you find sea water?
“Is there no other way?”
“Medicine can work too, but it takes six days to be effective.”
Six days… In six days, the demons of Frost‑Rain Mountain would be slaughtered to the last.
Monkey tilted his head back, staring blankly at the moon drifting through the clouds.
After a long while, he lowered his head and asked, “Elder Brother, do you know how to make Plaguewater?”